One can argue that properly and accurately hitting a golf ball is the most difficult thing in all of sports to execute. Such a process is even more difficult than successfully hitting a pitch from a professional pitcher. One reason for such comparative difficulty is that a golf club has to travel 1.5 revolutions versus only 1 revolution for the baseball bat, hence more room for error.
A full swing of a golf club rotates a total of 1.5 revolutions in less than 2 seconds. The first 180 degrees is from address to over the head (the backswing). The next 180 degrees is from over the head back down to impacting the golf ball (the downswing). The final 180 degrees is from impact, toward the intended target, to over the head (the follow through). One must rotate a golf club a total of 540 degrees to fully strike the golf ball. Given the length of such a rotational arc, using an improper or unorthodox swing over such an arc will only make more room for error.
Description of the Prior Art
There have been hundreds if not thousands of swing training aids that try and teach the proper swing for golf. The lie angle of a given club is not a focus of such approaches. In fact, the term “club's lie angle” is the most misunderstood and/or overlooked aspects in the game of golf. For example, the term is commonly misunderstood with the clubface loft angle. The lie angle of a club is present when the clubface is square on the ground. It's the angle that is formed between the center of the club's shaft and the ground at address, extending away from the club face.
There exist a wide of array of lie angles for golf clubs. Every golf club in a given bag has a different lie angle, and because of this fact, golfers will swing each club differently. Typically, the putter has the greatest lie angle, followed by the wedge, 9 iron, 8 iron, 7 iron, 6 iron, 5 iron, 3 hybrid, 4 iron, 2 hybrid, 3 iron, 2 iron, 1 hybrid, 3 wood, 5 wood, and the driver. Furthermore, lie angles differ between golf club manufacturers. Some lie angles stay within some uniform standard, but the difference between the same clubs by two different manufactures can be several degrees. Additionally, golfers have a choice of neutral, flat, or up right lie angles when buying clubs off the shelf. More serious golfers can often also have those tweaked up or down a couple of degrees.
The club's designed lie angle is revealed at address, i.e., when the club is square on the ground. It is also revealed at impact. The club must travel on a swing plane 360 degrees, to go from address to impact (180 degrees backswing and 180 degrees downswing). Thus, there is a need for a device which can teach a golfer to use a consistent swing plane throughout the golf swing.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are used in the claims of the patent as filed and are intended to have their broadest plain and ordinary meaning consistent with the requirements of the law.
A “a golf club grabber” is a multiaxial mechanical subassembly which maintains contact with a given golf club throughout the arc of a swing while permitting extension, rotation, and/or hinging movement of the club during the swing. An example of such a golf club grabber would include, but is not limited to the combination of a hinge axle (for permitting hinging movement) in connection with a frame holding at least a pair of closed-biased rollers for receiving the club shaft, where the rollers permit extension or rotation of the club.
A “T-Channel Assembly” are two pieces of a square hollow channel that are attached in a way that resemble the letter “T.” Preferably, it is composed of: a) a “Vertical T-Channel Piece” is the one square hollow piece of a “T-Channel Assembly” that goes up and down or is vertical; and b) a “Horizontal T-Channel Piece” is the one square hollow piece of a “T-Channel Assembly” that goes right and left or is horizontal.
Propeller Arm Plates are two plates of approximately the same size that accept, secure, and also allow for adjustments of a channel piece.
A “Club Lie Angle Setter Plate” is a plate that is moveable and is used to reveal the club's lie angle when a golf club is attached to it.
A “Club Channel” is a T-slotted channel piece that the club may slide into, that is attached to the “Club Lie Angle Setter Plate”, which is parallel to the sides of the “Club Lie Angle Setter”, and is perpendicular to the top and bottom of the “Club Lie Angle Setter Plate”
A “Bottom Edge Extender Channel” is a T-slotted channel piece that freely moves up and down, that is attached to the “Club Lie Angle Setter Plate”, which is parallel to the sides of the “Club Lie Angle Setter Plate”, and is perpendicular to the top and bottom of the “Club Lie Angle Setter Plate.” The purpose of bottom edge extender channel is to extend the bottom edge of the club lie angle setter plate.
A “Pillow Block Bearing” is a pedestal housing that is used to provide support for a rotating shaft with the help of a compatible bearing. The housing is bolted to a foundation through the holes in the base.
A “Vertical Adjusting Channel Bracket” is a T-slotted channel piece that is attached to the “Horizontal T-Channel Piece” in a vertical manner that accepts a movable right angle bracket. It's the right angle bracket which moves and holds the “Arm for the Dual Channel Propeller.” The movable right angle bracket is able to be adjusted up and down by turning a knob.
A “Propeller Channel Assembly” is the rotating assembly of the present disclosure. The entire assembly is supported by a fastener that attaches to a support, such as the “Pillow Block Bearings.”
A “Dual Channel Propeller” is a structure which includes channels. The “Dual Channel Propeller” includes structure which resembles the propeller of an airplane.
A “Back” or “First” Propeller Channel” is a square hollow channel piece which is the back channel of the “Dual Channel Propeller.”
A “Front” or “Second” Propeller Channel is a square hollow channel piece which is the front channel of the “Dual Channel Propeller”.
An “Arm for the Dual Channel Propeller” is a square hollow channel piece that supports the “Pillow Block Bearings” on one end, and the “Pillow Block Bearings” that accept a long bolt which is similar to that of an airplane propeller shaft. This long bolt goes through the midpoint of the “first propeller channel”, hence connecting the “Dual Channel Propeller” to the arm at approximately a 90 degree angle. The “arm for the dual Channel Propeller” is attached to the “Horizontal T-Channel Piece” by the means of “Two Plates”, allowing the “arm” to be adjusted so that the angle of the arm equals the club's lie angle and once that is achieved it is then secured. This adjusting of the arm is accomplished by turning the knob for the “vertical adjusting channel bracket” so that the movable right angle bracket which is freely connected to the “vertical adjusting channel bracket” moves and simultaneously moves the arm. This is made possible because the movable right angle bracket on the “vertical adjusting channel bracket is always engaged to the arm.